It was twelve days to Christmas and still there was no snow on
the ground. It looked like it would not be a white Christmas. Thor walked the
path from the bookstore to the ruins of the fireworks stand. It still stood
there, the remains of the fire that happened almost a year ago. For a moment he
remembered everything that had happed that night. First he had seen Kallista at
the window then when he rushed to help her in, she had run away. No, she had
been chased away by some bored cops looking for some excitement.Angrily he clenched his fists as the memories
flowed. How frightened and lost she must have been.He had followed the chaos all the way to the
end of the street where the bay was.Who
would have thought that anyone would put up a fireworks stand there?The scared girl had run in there and had
been surrounded by the police. They had accused her of something absurd, of
being part of a robbery.Then the
unthinkable had happened. Shots had been fired and a blaze was ignited in the
highly combustible stand.Bystanders had
whipped out their phones to record the scene that had bizarrely turned into a
full scale production. No one had heard her screams that night but Thor did. It
was a sound that ripped away at his heart. A voice on the wind whispered past Thor’s ear sounded both
near and distant at the same time.

Help me!

“Kallista!”

He whirled around to find Hellboy, Skyril, and Raven
standing there. A series of expressions filtered across their faces before they
settled on understanding.

“We saw you leave the bookstore…” Skyril began uncertainly.

“We thought maybe you wanted some company.” Raven added

“I’m sorry, I thought I heard something…” Thor stuffed his
hands into his pockets trying to cover the oddness of the situation.

“Do you want to talk about it, Thor?” Hellboy asked him,
quietly.

No one has really talked about what happened that night or
the days prior to Kallista’s death. Her funeral had been a solemn affair that
everyone had attended.It had been a
closed casket, signifying the depth of destruction done to Kallista’s body.

“I don’t think I can…” Thor managed to say as he gazed
around, looking for something to hold his attention and keep it from the scene
of Kallista’s death.

Festive wreaths and other Christmas decorations on the store
fronts met his eyes everywhere he looked. Shoppers came and went in steady
streams, arms filled with gifts for family members.

“Well, I think maybe I could say something.” Skyril burst
out. “She was like a sister to me and I lost that the day she died!”

Raven turned away and bit her lip.

“I also lost a sister.” She added quietly.

“We lost Kallista long before she died.” Hellboy spoke up
gravely.

“It’s almost been a year and no one wants to admit
anything.” Thor said angrily. “I could have saved her!”

“We all could have done something, but who could save
Kallista from herself?” Hellboy returned evenly.

“I could have tried.” Thor grieved.

“No one knew it was going to end up like this.” Raven cried
out.

Thor shook his head and started walking away.

“Where are you going?” Skyril called after him in dismay.

“I’m going to buy flowers for her grave.” Thor replied without
looking at them. “No one else has been doing that.”

Hellboy, Skyril, and Raven looked at each other then
followed him.

A half an hour later the four of them approached the
gravesite. It came as a shock when they saw someone else there.

“Chan?”

The young man looked up at his friends. “Hi, guys,”

At Chan’s feet lay a dozen pink roses.

“She always did love pink flowers,” Thor smiled after
getting over his surprise. In ironic humor he held up the pink roses he had
bought.

“She loved flowers of every kind.” Skyril said as she put
down the flowers she got. “Pink roses in winter.”

“It’s about time someone else thought about Kallie.” Chan
lost his smile.

“I think that everyone has been thinking about Kallie. It’s
just too hard to talk about it.” Raven protested.

“So, let’s change all that.” Thor spoke up. “No one knows
what it was like to see and hear her die!”

“We all saw the Youtube videos that people posted of that
night, Thor!” Hellboy shot back. “We all have to live with that fact that Kal
died while we were all partying.”

“I know, I didn’t mean to…” Thor tried to speak but stopped.

“Enough, you two.” Raven stepped in between them. “Let’s not
argue by Kallista’s grave.”

Without another word they put down the flowers and paid
their respects to the broken girl no one could save.

That night everyone gathered in the bookshop for their
annual Christmas party. Niall and Venice came in together; Ven looking
beautiful as usual, this time with lilac colored hair. Lizzy had already
arrived with Pyro, Noam, Octa, and Sarth. Chan walked in a few minutes later
with Hellboy, Sam, Leo, Flame, Darkane, Nicolette, Skulgirl, Skylara, Mary, and Thor.Raven and Sky came in with Mar, Mir, Thalia, Lydia, and Aria following. Dan
came in last with Legolas, Emerald, NJ, Quinn, and Bryony.

Inside the bookstore it was all cozy and warm. As the
friends all passed around the eggnog, woebegone Kallista bent with chains that
were wrapped around her body stood outside in the cold.No one had heard her for a year. In all that
time she had been crying out from beyond never ending tears streaming down her
face.

Wanting to be by himself Thor set out on the cold porch
reflecting on the past year as he drank some eggnog. The more he drank the more
he seemed to hear Kallista’s voice.It
was as if she was right next to him.

“Why couldn’t you have remembered who you were, Kallista?”
He shouted suddenly out into the night, grieved.

“Don’t yell at me. It hurts my ears.” Kallista replied
sorrowfully,

In shock, Thor whirled around and looked at the wretched
figure of Kallista.

“Kallista!” He swore in horror at the sight of the chains
and tried to pry them off her but his hands passed right through. “No, it can’t
be!”

“I’m dead, Thor.” She acknowledged for him. “Only you seemed
to hear me now. For that I am deeply happy.”

But she stilled looked miserable. It didn’t matter to Thor
that she was bound up in chains and wearing tattered clothing. To him Kallista
had always been beautiful and even in death he loved her.

“I’m glad to see you again, Kallista. But this is not how I
wanted it to be…I tried so hard to save you….but I couldn’t.”He spoke sadly.

“Um, this is awkward,” Another voice interrupted. Thor
turned to see Sarth there looking sad but confused too. “Who are you talking
too?”

“Kallista,” Thor replied in wonder as he gestured towards
her.

“He can’t see me.” Kallista said sadly as Sarthacus spoke at
the same time.

He left the scene of the ghost girl behind as he overhead
the others mourning over her.

“You will never know marriage or have children!” Someone was
saying.

Quickly Sam crossed the bookstore to the front of the
building where he recognized Silente Tempest standing by the door. As he
reached for the handle he noticed that her face seemed almost as white as
Kallista’s.

“Hello Silente! I didn’t-“ He began but was interrupted by
Silente.

“Wait Sam, you won’t believe this!” She interrupted him and
rushed past him into the store. “Where is everyone? I know you were having a
party tonight. Everyone needs to hear this!”

“Well, um. They are out backside talking to…..someone.” Sam
said awkwardly, then poured a drink. “Here, have a drink of eggnog. It will
calm your nerves.”

Silente took the glass without thinking and gulped it down.

“I would keep your coat on, it’s cold outside.” Sam warned
her then lead her to the back porch.

At first all Silente saw was all the older Bloglanders
gathered around. Then she noticed the pale ghostly image of her old friend,
Kallista.

Swearing, Silente fainted.

When she woke up again, she was inside the comfortable
bookstore and lying on a sofa.

“It can’t be.” Were the first words out of her mouth. “I
just saw her at the hospital where I intern at. I must be seeing things.”

At her words everyone went still.

“You, what?”Octa
said, shocked.

“I just saw Kallista at the hospital! She is very much
alive!” Silente told them all.

“How can this be?” Hellboy spoke in disbelief.

They all looked at Silente expectantly.

“I just saw her in the East Wing of St. Joseph’s Hospital,
where the patients are kept who are in a coma. She has a room all of her own!”

“That’s impossible!” Hellboy exclaimed, distressed. “How can
she be here and there at the same time?”

They all looked outside where they could still see a Ghostly
Kallista bound with chains.

“I don’t know how this is possible,” Silente said as she
gulped more Eggnog that was given to her.“Come to the hospital and I will show you. “

“Visiting time ends in an hour.” Octaboona said as he looked
at his watch.
“Then let’s hurry!” Silente urged them all.

A short while later the Blogland gang arrived at St.
Joseph’s Hospital.

“Follow me,” Silente instructed them. “Because you are with
me, you won’t be stopped.”

The clever girl lead her friends through the entryway and
down several hallways before coming to an elevator.

“She is on the third floor.” Silente told them all as they
split up.

With a ding the elevator doors closed and rose several
floors to the third story while playing Christmas carols. There was another
ding and the elevator doors opened. There the group met up again and followed
Silente down the hall to the right. Just outside the door Silente turned and
make a quiet motion with her finger against her lip.

Once inside the gang stood breathless gazing at the still
form of their friend, Kallista Pendragon.Time and care had healed most of Kallista’s injuries but there was a big
machine that was assisting Kallista in breathing. Without it she would be gone.

“She is kept alive by the order of the police in case she
wakes up and can identify those men who a year ago robbed some banks.” Silente told
them all. “I found this out when reading her chart.”

“If she is a potential witness, should she not have police
protection?” Octaboona wondered out loud.

“What I am wondering is how Kallista can be both here and a
ghost at the same time.” Chan said. “Who did we bury at her grave?”

“That’s the other thing I need to tell you.” Silente told
them all. “You buried an empty coffin!”

Thor had picked up Kallista’s hand and held it as he spoke. “This
must be why Kallista is still bound to the earth. There may be a chance she can
be revived!”

“The police have left her for bait. They are watching and
most likely know we are here,” Silente continued.

“That’s so cruel!” Lizzy spoke forcefully, “The police can’t
do this! She is helpless to protect herself and after what they did to her….”

Sarthacus hugged Lizzy. “We can protect her.”

“I was just thinking that,” Thor said grimly.

“We are going to need more seats in here,” Raven commented as
she looked around the sparse room.

Soon there were chairs all around the room with two or more
occupants sharing.

“How do we get Kallista’s spirit back in her body?” Skyril
asked as she smoothed away some of Kallista’s hair from her forehead.

“That, I do not know.” Silente paled again.

“What’s the matter, Silente?” Hellboy asked, concerned.

“If in the next week, the police do not catch the real
criminals, they are going to pull the plug on Kallista.” Silente spoke plain
English for them.“Just so you all know,
I’ve lost my job for telling you all this.”

“I’m sorry for your loss of job,” Niall said, “We will take
care of you, Silente.”

Silente nodded her thanks. And the friends all sat quietly into the night
waiting for something to happen. A song came on the radio about Christmas time
and hope. It started to snow outside.

They must have been dreaming because they saw Kallista again,
looking down at her body. “They are coming.”

Niall woke up with a jerk and noticed it was dark in the room,
then he noticed a figure over Kallista.

“Pyro, is that you?” He called out. Several others woke up
then and the lights were turned on.

It was one of the robbers, he was holding a pillow down over
Kallista’s face.

With a roar several people tackled the man and drew him away
from Kallista’s form.The noise brought
another man into the room holding a gun. It was the other robber. Shots were
fired all around the room. But something strange happened. Each bullet was
stopped and fell useless to the floor. Stunned, the gunman just stood there
when Hellboy punched him and knocked him out.

“Now, if someone could take out the trash, please.” Hellboy
said, grinning and dusting his hands off.

To their surprise, another man entered the room wearing a
trench coat and holding a sawed off shotgun.

“How do these people keep getting in with guns?” Silente
wondered out loud as the man was tackled and wrestled to the ground.

The man grunted under the weight of Kallista’s Blogland friends.

“Get off me, you fool kids.” He growled. “I’m on your side!”

“Who are you?” Thor demanded.

“I was brought here by a friend of yours,” The man responded
and nodded towards the still form of Kallista. “That’s the one!”

“You are telling us Kallista appeared to you?” Raven asked,
incredulous.

“My name is Israel Elysium! Your friend appeared to me while
I was trying to relax.” Israel grunted as his gun was taken from him. “You realize
of course I am letting you take the gun.”

“Yeah, whatever buddy.” Thor said as he pointed the gun at
Israel. “I want to know how you came to be here if you are not one of those
creeps over there.”

Israel sighed, “Fine. I was sitting by myself enjoying a
drink or two when I noticed this scrawny kid wrapped up in chains standing next
to me. It was weird, but I figured it was my drink making things that way.
Usually the more a person drinks, the more attractive woman can seem. But not with this chick.”

“Enough of that and tell us how you got to be here!” Pyro
demanded as he stepped in front of Thor.

“Kids these days.” Israel mumbled to himself, and then
shuddered. “This Kallista chick told me to come here or else she would haunt me
for the rest of my life.”

“Sounds like something Kallista would do.” Octaboona smiled
a little.

They let Israel up but watched him closely as he took out
several handcuffs. Going to each robber,
Israel handcuffed the men.

Breathing a sigh of relief the gang turned back to Kallista
and it was then that they noticed her breathing tool had been knocked out of
her.

“We are too late!” Noam cried out.

“Wait, she is breathing on her own!” Skyril pointed,
excitedly.

“But she is not waking up!” Raven cried out.

“Maybe if we talk to her.” Lizzy suggested and went to be by
Kallista’s side.

“Or maybe a kiss is what is needed.” Israel joked then looked surprised when he received dirty looks.. “What?”

Thor walked over to Kallista and gently took her hand.
Raising her hand to his lips he kissed her.

“No one ever said it had to be on the lips.” He winked.

Slowly Kallista’s eyes fluttered open and she took a deep
breath of air into her lungs. Everyone cheered.

It was two days till Christmas and Kallista was home from
the hospital. Weak from her long stay at the hospital Kallista was placed in a
soft chair at the bookstore. She looked outside and saw it was snowing again. Last year had been nightmare. While she didn't remember most of her time as a ghost, she remembered everything else.

“No more eggnog for you, kiddo!” Lizzy said with a smile.

Everyone laughed and passed her some hot cider instead.

"I'm sorry for how I behaved last year," Kallista spoke earnestly. "I am truly sorry for all my actions against you. Yet I'm glad for this second chance at life. I hope to make it a better one from now on."

Everyone raised their glasses at that and toasted one another.

No one knew who started it but soon everyone was singing Auld Lang Syne. When the fireworks started, everyone made sure that Kallista was there and she was.